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2 SheetsSheet 1..

(No Model.)

W. GLEGG.

VELOOIPEDE.

Patented Sept. 11, 1888.

N. PETERS, Pflmqillhugmphur, wnmn m, ac.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

wags.

(No Model.)

W. GLEGCT.

VELOGIPEDE.

No. 389,200. Patented Sept. 11, 1888.-

' fiwenZar. "ffiz (Z9 4m N. PETERS. Pmwunm n lw. Walungmn Dec.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

\VESLEY (ELEGG, OF BRADFORD, ENGLAND.

VELOCIPEDE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 389,200, dated September 11, 1888.

Application filed April 23, ISFB. Serial No. 271,573. (No model.)

To Mr? whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WEsLEY CLEGG, a sub ject of the Queen of Great Britain, residing at Bradford, England, have invented new and useful Improvements in Velocipedes, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide means for taking up or reducing as much as possible the vibration and strains which usually come upon the wheels and frame-work of veloeipedes, thereby increasing the durability of the machines and the comfort of their riders.

In carrying out this invention the frame or backbone of the machine is in two parts, which cross one another and move or rock upon a central pin so as to allow either wheel to move in a vertical plane. Upon the front or steering fork or post I provide a sleeve placed upon or immediately above the shoulder of the said post, in which sleeve the post can turn freely. From this sleeve one portion of the frame (forming an auxiliary arm) is carried to the saddle-post or upright part of the back fork to which it is connected, so as to allow of free vertical motion in either direction, the said motion being limited in extent by spiral springs. The other or main portion of the backbone is rigidly connected to the saddle-post,and crossing the auxiliary arm is continued to the front or steering post, upon which the end is free to move in a vertical direction, the movement being limited by springs.

Lateral motion of the movable parts of the frame is provided against by the aforesaid attachments to the front and back posts.

The two parts of the frame where they cross each other are connected bya pin about which they are free to move. This pin I place at a convenient point between the steering and sad dle posts, and I have found that a point about midway between the posts answers well.

In order to enable my invention to be fully understood, I will proceed to describe how it can be carried into practice by reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate my invention, by way of example, applied to what is known as a safety rear-driven bicycle.

Figure l is a side elevation of such a bicycle with my improvements. Fig. 2 is a plan showing the central pin connection or joint for the two parts of the frame consisting of the backbone and the auxiliary arm. Fig. 3

shows a modified construction of the joint. Fig. 4 is a vertical section showing the manner in which the free ends of the backbone and auxiliary arm are connected to the steeringpost and saddle-posts, respectively. Fig. 5is a horizontal section on the line A B of Fig. 4. Figs. 6 and 7 are respectively a side elevation and a front elevation ofa modified form of the connections shown in Figs. 1, 4, and 5. Fig. 8 is a horizontal section on theline O D of Fig. 6. Fig. 9 is an elevation of a modified form of telescopic joint, hereinafter described. Fig.

10 is a transverse-section on the line E F of 6 Fig. 9. Fig. 11 is an elevation of another form of telescopic joint; and Figs. 12 and 13 are detached views of the main frame or back bone and auxiliary arm, respectively. Figs. 2 to 13 are drawn to alarger scale than Fig. 1.

Similar letters in all the figures indicate similar or corresponding parts.

a is the front or steering wheel of the bicycle.

'1) is the hind or driving wheel.

a is the steering-post on the front fork, 0'

d is the steering-handle.

c is the fork of the hind wheel.

f is the saddle post or support carrying the saddle gat its upper end, and the drivingcranks hi1, treadlcs i i, and chain-wheel j at its lower end.

It is the chain and Z the chain-wheel on the hind wheel, all the said parts being of ordinary construction.

m m and a a are the two parts of the frame, which I construct and arrange, as shown in Fig. 1, so that they cross each other, the part at m forming the backbone or main frame, and the part a n the auxiliary arm.

0 is the pin on which the two parts of the frame move or rock, the said parts being at this point formed with disks the faces of which move directly against each other; or the faces may be fitted with balls to reduce friction;

The pin 0 may consist of a plain bolt and nut, as shown in Fig. 2; or I can fit the bolt wit adjustable cones p p, as shown in Fig. 3.

q is the sleeve which I provide upon the front or steering post, a, and which is here shown resting upon a shoulder on the fork c. The steering-post is free to revolve within the sleeve q, and other attachments placed upon ICO ' the plunger ,9.

it, so that the rider has direct control over the steering-wheel a by means of the handles d. The front part, a, of the auxiliary arm, is jointed at r to the sleeve q, and is arranged to work telescopically by making the part which isjointed to the sleeve (1 in the form of a rod or plunger, s, adapted to slide in the front end a, of the auxiliary arm n a. A spring, t, is placed within the part a and bears against the collar to upon the free end of A hollow nut, 1), within which the plunger 8 slides, is adjustably screwed into the free end a of the auxiliary arm,

by which means the length of the a of the auxiliary arm can be altered. A spring, 10, is placed upon the plunger 8, between the collar a and the adjustable nut o, for the purpose of taking up the shock or jar which might be caused when the plunger moves outward. The auxiliary arm a n is continued to the saddle-post f, where it is connected to a sleeve 2, having collars or flanges a a, and adapted to slide or have free vertical motion in either direction on the saddle-post f.

b b are the springs for limiting the extent of motion of the sleeve 2, the said springs bearing against the collars or flanges a a and against similar collars or flanges, a e, on the saddle-post f.

The main frame at 112. forms a continuation of the back fork, e, and is rigidly connected at d to the saddle-post, and after crossing the auxiliary arm n n is continued to the front or steering post, a, to which it is connected by a sliding sleeve 2, similar to that connecting the auxiliary-arm to the saddle-post f, and is similarly limited in its vertical movement by springs 12 b. It will thus be seen that the. main frame at m and the back fork, 6, form one rigid piece or bar extending from the center of the hind wheel, I), to the steeringpost 0.

The main frame at m and the auxiliary arm a a can advantageously be connected to the sleeves z z by providing the free ends m and a with forks or straps e, as shown in Figs. 1, 4, and 5, rubber cushions or other suitable springs, f, being placed between the straps e and the sleeves z. The upper parts of the straps are rounded, as shown, so that as the sleeves a move up or down the rounded surfaces can roll upon the collars a a of the sleeves,or the connection of themain frame and auxiliary arm to the said sleeves can be effected by providing a lug or trunnion, g, on each sideof the sleeves 2, as shown in Figs. 6, 7, and 8. The lugs g g are fitted with split journals h h, and both thelugs and thejournals are placed within the fork or strap e.

Springs it are placed at the back of the journals h h, and serve to keep the faces of the journals in working-contact with the lugs gg.

By means of the central pin orjoint, 0, free action for both wheels in a vertical plane is obtai ned,thus transferring the strains or shocks thrown upon the wheels or frame-work to the springs b b, which govern the free or vibrating ends m and a, respectively, of the main frame and auxiliary arm. It will be obvious that other joints than those shown can be employed.

The telescopic arrangement of the auxiliary arm (which may be of any convenient section) serves to limit the movement of the front wheel in an outward direction, but allows it.

to move inward on meeting with an impediment,thereby allowing the wheels to approach each other,the strain or shock being taken up by my system of springs.

Figs. 9 and 10 illustrate a modified form of thesaidtclescopic arrangement-,in which I- fix in the plunger s'a pin, j, working in slots formed in the part it of the auxiliary arm, the outward movement of the plunger being limited by a spring sliding collar, Z, and a fixed collar, /,against which spring sliding collar the pin j abuts, except when the plunger is moved inward through the wheels coming in contact with an impediment. By varying the position of the fixed collar 3/ the length of the arm can be adjusted.

The spring sliding collar can, if required,

be dispensed with,the pin then bearing against the rigid collar 3 Fig.- 11 illustrates another form of the said telescopic arrangement, in which the spring t is placed outside the part a of the auxiliary arm and bears against afixed collar, :0, and a loose ring, 0, thereon. The ring 0' bears against adjustable bolts 1) p, fixed to a collar, (1., on the plunger 8. The bolts slide in and are. guided by a collar, r, fixed on the end a of the auxiliary arm, and serve to adjust the length of the part a and to regulate its telesco'pe' imovement.

I have described and shown, by way of example, three telescopic arrangements which I have found to give good results; but it will be. obvious that other arrangements could be employed which would give a tel escopic movement to a part of the frame. It will be obvious that the said spring telescopic arrange ment and joints can be applied to the part at or to the part a of the frame, or to both those parts instead of or in combination'with the telescoped portion a, so as to allow the said parts to move through the are of a circle struck from the pin or joint 0.

I sometimes find it advantageous to place a small spring between the sleeve q and the shoulder of the fork 0 the sleeve q in this case sliding to a small extent on the steering-fork. The object of this spring is to form a cushion between the sleeve q and the fork 0 when the latter meets with any impediment.

I have described and illustrated my invention as applied to a rear-driven safety-bicycle; but I wish it to be understood that I desire to claim its'application to any kind of veloeipede the construction of which will admit of its being adapted thereto or used in combination IZO in what manner the same is to be I declare that what I claim is '1. A frame of a velocipede made in two parts-that is to say, of a main frame or continuous backbone and an auxiliary arn1-the two parts crossing and moving upon each other, the front end of the continuous backbone being connected to the steering-post and the ends of the auxiliary arm to the steering and back post of the velocipede by spring-connections, so as to allow either wheel to move in a vertical plane and approach or recede from each other, substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore described.

2. The described means whereby the upper or vibrating ends of the main frame and anxiliary arm are connected to their respective posts, consisting of the combination of the sliding sleeves z z, the springs Z), and the forks or straps 6.

performed,

3. The described means for connecting the front end of the auxiliary arm to the steering post of a velocipede, consisting of the combination,with such arm and post,of a sleeve, (1, plunger 8, jointed thereto, telescopically connected with the auxiliary arm and provided with a spring, 1/, cheekspring w, and regulat ing-nut r, all substantially as shown and described.

1-. In combination with the posts 0 and f, the main part on m of the frame and the auxiliary part a 12, these parts crossing each other and having a rocking connection at 0, the sleeves and q, telescopic connection r s v t w, and springs b, all substantially as and for the purposes described.

XVESLEY OLEGG.

\Vitnesses:

Rn. B. N IOIIOLLS, J. F. LAST. 

